AP: Iranian authorities used aggressive measures Wednesday in an attempt to halt the nosedive of the country’s currency, making arrests, vowing to stamp out sidewalk money changers and warning merchants against fueling the mounting public anger over the economy.
Iran tightens grip to stem currency fall
Clinton to Iran: Economic woes are your fault
AP: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says Iranian leaders are to blame for the sinking Iranian economy and rising economic protests.
US urges EU to shelter Iran dissidents stranded in Iraq
AFP: A US official urged European nations Wednesday to offer shelter to Iranian dissidents housed for decades in a camp in Iraq and last week removed from a Washington terrorist blacklist.
Iranian police clash with protesters over currency plunge
Reuters: Riot police clashed with demonstrators and arrested money changers in Tehran on Wednesday in disturbances over the collapse of the Iranian currency, which has lost 40 percent of its value against the dollar in a week, witnesses said.
Iran’s master of Iraq chaos still vexes U.S.
New York Times: When a senior Iraqi intelligence official traveled to Tehran in the summer of 2007 to meet with the Iranian leadership, he quickly figured out who was in charge of Iran’s policy toward its neighbor to the west.
Iran says will not retreat on nuclear issue despite woes
AFP: Iran will not back down on its nuclear programme despite the problems caused by Western sanctions, including a dramatic slide in the value of its currency, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said.
Iraq searches Syria-bound Iran plane
AFP: Iraq stopped and searched a Syria-bound Iranian cargo plane for weapons on Tuesday, but allowed it to continue as no prohibited items were found, Iraqi officials said.
US: Iranians blame leaders for deprivation
AFP: The White House said Tuesday that Iranians blame their leaders for rising deprivation caused by US and international sanctions stemming from Tehran’s nuclear program.
U.N. calls on Iran to halt clampdown, release activists
Reuters: The United Nations human rights office called on Tuesday for the immediate release of prominent activists and journalists it said had been arrested or intimidated as part of an apparent clampdown on critical voices ahead of next year’s presidential election.
Iran to enrich uranium to 60 percent if nuclear talks fail
Reuters: Iran would enrich uranium up to 60 percent purity if negotiations with major powers over its nuclear program fail, an Iranian lawmaker said on Tuesday, in comments that may add to Western alarm about Iranian intentions.
